The Huawei B593 LTE discussion thread

[PieterJC1]

Yes Manne!

I recently joined MyBB (and the internet for that matter) due to the fact that I took the obvious step towards LTE with the B593 on a Telkom Mobile contract. Now, not being really tech savvy I wanted to ask if the security on the device is adequate right out of the box? Should i be doing anything other than the obvious "letters-and-numbers-password" tricks or is the factory settings (default device name and pass code) solid enough to protect my expensive data?

Living in ZA makes all of us quite astutely aware of the undeniable fact that there are individuals among us that steal things. Some steal real things like cellphones, handbags and the odd tapedeck, but there are others...the ones that perceive our world in green dripping Chinese code. They steal things that cannot be seen, like my data. Should I be doing anything extra after connecting tho the new instant LTE interweb to ensure that these data skelms don't steal my Mb's?

I realize that my paranoia is most likely unfounded but with credit cards being cloned and cellphones being hacked, I hope that by concerns may be put to rest with the knowledge of some of the guys on this thread thing.

Dankie ouens.

 

[JackWhite]

Bought a B593. Dont know much about the device. Hope it was a good choice. Will be on prepaid

 

[sajunky]

Now, not being really tech savvy I wanted to ask if the security on the device is adequate right out of the box? Should i be doing anything other than the obvious "letters-and-numbers-password" tricks or is the factory settings (default device name and pass code) solid enough to protect my expensive data?

Secure enough, as long you don't allow to:
1. Initiate connection from Internet, so keep dafault firewall setting. Open only ports you need. If you don't know what it means, leave it alone. By example don't enable special gateway functions like ALG, DMZ or special applications access - unless you know what is for.
2. Access router's management interface from Internet. On B683 there is menu Settings -> Security -> ACL Settings
Some of these five options (HTTP, SSL, TELNET, SSH, FTP) are enabled from WAN side by default. Disable all, leave only HTTP access from LAN.
Access from LAN is always problem, especially if you allow strangers to 'share' your WiFi. So keep WiFi access under control.

 

[Conrads]

Hi All

I need some input please... After managing to sort out my simlock issue via reloading the firmware (downloaded off internet, got new firmware from Huawei, got new firmware again from the people I bought it from), I can for the life of me not get any upload/download speed of more than 2Mb - B593u-91/LTE. Is there something I am doing wrong like some setting I am missing? My signal is 3 bars and saying that, before the simlock issue I got around 38Mb download and 5Mb upload speed on 3 bar signal testing with Ookla. Now I am ready to pull my hair out. Using any other speed test program it is even less Anyone??Please....

 

[jcheek]

Hi All

I need some input please... After managing to sort out my simlock issue via reloading the firmware (downloaded off internet, got new firmware from Huawei, got new firmware again from the people I bought it from), I can for the life of me not get any upload/download speed of more than 2Mb - B593u-91/LTE. Is there something I am doing wrong like some setting I am missing? My signal is 3 bars and saying that, before the simlock issue I got around 38Mb download and 5Mb upload speed on 3 bar signal testing with Ookla. Now I am ready to pull my hair out. Using any other speed test program it is even less Anyone??Please....

Assuming nothing else has changed (many "if's" there), it sounds like you might be connecting in a lower mode (eg 3G ) ?
Are you sure you're connecting in 4G mode (blue mode light), or 3G (green) or - heaven forbid - 2G/EDGE (yellow) ?
Check that the operating mode isn't forced to 3G or lower; set it to Auto or forced 4G.

If that is all good and if nothing else has changed, it might be that you've temporarily connected to a different station with lower performance. Try disconnecting and doing a network search and then manually registering and re-connecting in 4G.

Also do the test using an ethernet cable rather than a Wi-Fi connection. A bit radical, perhaps, but it eliminates one variable.

 

[Bundu]

Hi All

I need some input please... After managing to sort out my simlock issue via reloading the firmware (downloaded off internet, got new firmware from Huawei, got new firmware again from the people I bought it from), I can for the life of me not get any upload/download speed of more than 2Mb - B593u-91/LTE. Is there something I am doing wrong like some setting I am missing? My signal is 3 bars and saying that, before the simlock issue I got around 38Mb download and 5Mb upload speed on 3 bar signal testing with Ookla. Now I am ready to pull my hair out. Using any other speed test program it is even less Anyone??Please....

what does yours show as in below? What network ae you using?

 

[Conrads]

Assuming nothing else has changed (many "if's" there), it sounds like you might be connecting in a lower mode (eg 3G ) ?
Are you sure you're connecting in 4G mode (blue mode light), or 3G (green) or - heaven forbid - 2G/EDGE (yellow) ?
Check that the operating mode isn't forced to 3G or lower; set it to Auto or forced 4G.

If that is all good and if nothing else has changed, it might be that you've temporarily connected to a different station with lower performance. Try disconnecting and doing a network search and then manually registering and re-connecting in 4G.

Also do the test using an ethernet cable rather than a Wi-Fi connection. A bit radical, perhaps, but it eliminates one variable.

Thanks will try that. It is however on blue and I have forced to LTE only. Will check with Ethernet quick tonight. It is also set to auto network. Much appreciated.

 

[Conrads]

Hi Bundu
It is on LTE only. I am so frustrated.

 

[Bundu]

eish, that's a bummer - did this literally start after the new FW?

 

[beerygaz]

Two "advanced" questions about my B593s-601:

1. Is there a way to stop the bloody ting redirecting to "homerouter.cpe"? I run an internal dns, so that IP does not translate, and hitting the web interface of the device on it's IP address always redirects to "http://homerouter.cpe"

2. Is there a way to administer the device from the WAN IP? It can't add a port forward to itself, and I often need to tweak some settings while outside my network.

 

[sajunky]

1. Is there a way to stop the bloody ting redirecting to "homerouter.cpe"? I run an internal dns, so that IP does not translate, and hitting the web interface of the device on it's IP address always redirects to "http://homerouter.cpe"

2. Is there a way to administer the device from the WAN IP? It can't add a port forward to itself, and I often need to tweak some settings while outside my network.

A1. If you have another router "B" between B593 and your LAN it will solve problem of active DNS relay on B683, so I think it is your configuration. Just create static route to "homerouter.cpe" on "B".
A2. Check your Security -> ACL settings
On B683 I can enable HTTP, SSL, Telnet, SSH and FTP access from WAN. I don't need that, any offers?

 

[Conrads]

eish, that's a bummer - did this literally start after the new FW?

Morning
Yip, right after I loaded the firmware. I downloaded SP053, Then got SP054 and SP100 from Jaco at Huawei, then got SP054 from the people I bought it from....all do exactly the same thing. Played around with it last night again....with or without LAN/Wi-Fi...same speed (looks throttled)...as soon as I do speed test it jumps to like just over 5Mbps (briefly) then goes right down to 2Mbps. I have it on LTE only setting. If I choose network selection manual, I can't search for a network to choose from as the search tab is blanked out. I then forced it to 3G only and got around 7Mbps download but only 0.5Mbps upload. Grrrrr.
Just one thing I never knew that might be interesting for you.... Switch off and take sim out, then switch on. If you then open the firmware download software and choose your router and upgrade file to upgrade modem and router, don't click start as yet. Then you hold all 3 buttons in on the left side of router for around 40sec (reset, WPS, WLAN), the WPS light starts flickering blue (took me 2 tries to get it right). You then switch the router off and as soon as you switch on, hit the start button on your upload program. Router will start and start doing the upgrade. When finished (all 5 signal bars blue), stop the program and close it. Open your browser and try to log in. It won't log in as yet....now switch the router off, put your sim back in, switch it back on and then click refresh on the browser (might take 2 or 3 tries), your browser will then come up with a page giving you only one option (recover). Click recover and your router will do the upgrade of the firmware you just loaded. After that just log in normally and all settings are default, password everything....

 

[jcheek]

Morning
Yip, right after I loaded the firmware. I downloaded SP053, Then got SP054 and SP100 from Jaco at Huawei, then got SP054 from the people I bought it from....all do exactly the same thing. Played around with it last night again....with or without LAN/Wi-Fi...same speed (looks throttled)...as soon as I do speed test it jumps to like just over 5Mbps (briefly) then goes right down to 2Mbps. I have it on LTE only setting.

It begins to sound like your signal conditions have changed, or the station you're connecting to really is that slow (now) ... for some reason ?
A few last checks :
- Are you using the built-in antennas, or the flat whips ? Has that changed ?
- Are you sure your antenna setting ("Built-in" or "External") is where you want it to be ?
- How do your signal stats (preferably exact figures in dB/dBm) look now ?

If I choose network selection manual, I can't search for a network to choose from as the search tab is blanked out.

Not sure how your (V100 ?) firmware looks, but on the B593s-601 with V200 firmware, the procedure looks and works like this. Compare ?

I then forced it to 3G only and got around 7Mbps download but only 0.5Mbps upload. Grrrrr.

- Presumably this is all (still) on Telkom Mobile ?
- How do your signal stats (again, exact figures in dB/dBm) compare in 3G and 4G modes ?

Just one thing I never knew that might be interesting for you.... <snip>

Interesting! Though presumably once you'd got your unit working again (SP053), you were able to use the built-in upgrade menu option to load SP054/100 ?

 

[beerygaz]

A1. If you have another router "B" between B593 and your LAN it will solve problem of active DNS relay on B683, so I think it is your configuration. Just create static route to "homerouter.cpe" on "B".
A2. Check your Security -> ACL settings
On B683 I can enable HTTP, SSL, Telnet, SSH and FTP access from WAN. I don't need that, any offers?

Thanks for trying to help sajunk.

1. I do indeed have a router between my LAN and my B593. It's not a DNS relay issue per-se, but the fact that the admin page of the device redirects the browser to "homerouter.cpe", which fails to resolve on my internal DNS. I'm guessing there is some magic on the device itself that resolves "homerouter.cpe" to whatever its static internal IP is. There's no way to create a static route to a DNS entry - static routes as IP address based, not FQDN based.

2. I don't have an ACL section, but there is a cryptic Access Services section with three entries:
- There's nothing there about allowing HTTP/HTTPS access to manage the router via the external interface.

 

[jcheek]

Two "advanced" questions about my B593s-601:
1. Is there a way to stop the bloody thing redirecting to "homerouter.cpe"? I run an internal dns, so that IP does not translate, and hitting the web interface of the device on it's IP address always redirects to "http://homerouter.cpe"

Interesting. I get a different result (with the same device).
- With no port-forwarding in place, when I hit the B593 from the WAN with HTTP (port 80), I get no response.
- When I have port-forwarding in place (to a LAN-side device), hitting port 80 gives me a redirect to <WAN-IP>/html/pub/pushinfo.asp, which is usually a blank page with nothing much more than a Huawei letterhead.

2. Is there a way to administer the device from the WAN IP? It can't add a port forward to itself, and I often need to tweak some settings while outside my network.

Not that I've found, no.
The B593's ACL config page only allows control of three not-particularly-useful services, including ICMP from the WAN side. HTTP from the WAN side is not among them.
Very "secure", but not overly useful.

Edit: Yip, that's the one :

2. I don't have an ACL section, but there is a cryptic Access Services section with three entries:
View attachment 187152 - There's nothing there about allowing HTTP/HTTPS access to manage the router via the external interface.

 

[Conrads]

It begins to sound like your signal conditions have changed, or the station you're connecting to really is that slow (now) ... for some reason ?
A few last checks :
- Are you using the built-in antennas, or the flat whips ? Has that changed ?
- Are you sure your antenna setting ("Built-in" or "External") is where you want it to be ?
- How do your signal stats (preferably exact figures in dB/dBm) look now ?



Not sure how your (V100 ?) firmware looks, but on the B593s-601 with V200 firmware, the procedure looks and works like this. Compare ?



- Presumably this is all (still) on Telkom Mobile ?
- How do your signal stats (again, exact figures in dB/dBm) compare in 3G and 4G modes ?



Interesting! Though presumably once you'd got your unit working again (SP053), you were able to use the built-in upgrade menu option to load SP054/100 ?

Hi
I use built in and it is set on built in. My previous speeds (before simlock) was also with built in. Router in exactly same place, same signal bars...
Will check all dB's tonight and post...
My connection screen is more or less the same....I just don't have any networks to choose and the search button is blanked, even on manual, will try again tonight.
All is on Telkom mobile and that is what is strange.
No, even having loaded SP053 I can't do an upgrade in the router under upgrade screen. If I want to change the firmware to the better one (??SP054 or SP100) I have to use the tool again. In the router software it just shows up to date even if I say check for better firmware. I did not however choose the file manually in the router software and tried to upgrade like that...I just tried getting the router to link and find an upgrade, that doesn't work though.
Maybe I must try a sim swop?? I don't know.

 

[Azimuth]

Interesting. I get a different result (with the same device).
- With no port-forwarding in place, when I hit the B593 from the WAN with HTTP (port 80), I get no response.
- When I have port-forwarding in place (to a LAN-side device), hitting port 80 gives me a redirect to <WAN-IP>/html/pub/pushinfo.asp, which is usually a blank page with nothing much more than a Huawei letterhead.

Same result for me. For my Ubiquiti devices there is a place to handle this within airOS where you can customise the port. This feature is not present in the B593.

 

[jcheek]

Hi
I use built in and it is set on built in. My previous speeds (before simlock) was also with built in. Router in exactly same place, same signal bars...
Will check all dB's tonight and post...
My connection screen is more or less the same....I just don't have any networks to choose and the search button is blanked, even on manual, will try again tonight.
All is on Telkom mobile and that is what is strange.
<snip>
Maybe I must try a sim swop?? I don't know.

Hmmm ... weird!
If you are in 4G mode and the device is connecting in 4G (blue mode light), then the SIM is clearly provisioned for LTE so I can't see that SIM-swapping would make much difference.
All I can suggest is to now treat it as a new install and go in search of the best signals and speeds from various nearby stations.

No, even having loaded SP053 I can't do an upgrade in the router under upgrade screen. If I want to change the firmware to the better one (??SP054 or SP100) I have to use the tool again. In the router software it just shows up to date even if I say check for better firmware. I did not however choose the file manually in the router software and tried to upgrade like that...I just tried getting the router to link and find an upgrade, that doesn't work though.

The built-in "update check" on the 's-601/V200 doesn't do much either - it always says "up to date" or just fails.
However the procedure to manually select a new .BIN file and upload it does work - no need to use an external "updater tool".

 

[sajunky]

2. I don't have an ACL section, but there is a cryptic Access Services section with three entries:
View attachment 187152 - There's nothing there about allowing HTTP/HTTPS access to manage the router via the external interface.

It looks like there is a firmware version which have HTTP option from WAN:
http://screenshots.portforward.com/routers/Huawei/B593_-_Zain/Service_Access_Control.htm
Other, more interesting I found, but perhaps you would have to hack the router first to access command-line interface (SSH)?. There is internal documentation in Chinese, hope it helps:
http://www.qqread.net/network/routing/configuration/m205846.html

 

[sajunky]

Some other idea for:

2. Is there a way to administer the device from the WAN IP? It can't add a port forward to itself, and I often need to tweak some settings while outside my network.

Awkward, but it will work without hacking router:
Set your PC (connected directly to the B593) with static IP in DMZ on B593. Then use any remote access software running on such PC.

General and more practical use of DMZ on B593. If you set another router (between B593 and LAN) in DMZ, it should practically turn B593 in bridge mode. Then (depends on the router) there is no limitations by imposed by B593.